A Virginia builder filed a lawsuit against a customer who left a negative Yelp review, saying the review harmed his company’s reputation. The customer’s review claimed that the company allegedly charged her for work not done, damaged her home and stole her jewelry.

In 2007, Smithfield foods filed a federal lawsuit against the United Food and Commercial workers, claiming that the union orchestrated a public smear campaign to hurt Smithfield’s business as a method of extorting the company and alleging $5 million in damages. Part of the “smear campaign” was the encouragement of local government entities to censure Smithfield’s practices.